First screenshots of final Witcher 3 expansion show a colorful new region for Geralt to explore

Following on from the excellent Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone DLC that was released in October this year, developer CD Projekt Red has released the first images of the game’s second and final expansion, Blood and Wine, and it looks quite different from what we’ve seen before.

Due sometime in the first half of 2016, Blood and Wine will take Geralt to the all-new region of Toussaint, a land “untainted by war, where an atmosphere of carefree indulgence and knightly ritual masks an ancient, bloody secret."

The upcoming expansion will offer more than double the amount of content available in Hearts of Stone – around 20 hours of gameplay – which is more than some standalone, full-price games. Expect to see new gear, enemies and monsters in Blood and Wine, as well as characters who are “both new and dearly missed.”

Toussaint is quite a change from most of the gray, medieval locations found in The Witcher’s world. Its brightly colored buildings, terracotta roofs, and luscious scenery makes it resemble an old Mediterranean city.

Last week, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt came out on top at The Game Awards, winning several categories - including the coveted Game of the Year award. It also won best RPG and was responsible for CD Projekt Red walking away with the Developer of the Year prize. As of August, the Witcher 3 had sold 6 million copies.

Not much else is known about Blood and Wine but more details will doubtlessly surface over the coming months. Expect it to cost around $20 when it’s released.